Oxygen masks have been known and used for some time as efficient means for delivering oxygen to a patient during inhalation or respiratory therapy. More recently, these masks have been made of relatively soft and flexible plastic thereby making them disposable for single patient use. The modern and efficient masks have also been constructed so as to have a peripheral edge surface for fitting entirely around the patient's nose and cheeks, with the shorter masks passing beneath the patient's mouth along the chin and the longer masks extending under the patient's chin, but all in substantial sealing engagement so as to prevent loss of the oxygen containing gas delivered through the mask. Although such masks deliver the oxygen containing gas with desirable efficiency, since they are in substantial sealing engagement with the patient's face substantially entirely around the mask periphery, they offer some disadvantages. For example, the masks may become uncomfortable to the patient because of the extensive contact with the patient's face and also because of heat build up within the entirely enclosed mask area. In addition, CO.sub.2 build up is often a problem in masks of this type which results in significant limitations of the upper end of oxygen delivery concentrations possible. Further because such a mask encloses the patient's lower face area, in order for the patient to speak or to take in food through the mouth, the mask must be removed or at least temporarily lifted which causes further discomfort and possible patient aggrevation or anxiety. Obviously during the time that the mask is removed, oxygen delivery to the patient is interrupted.
Of further concern is the possibility of a patient choking where fluids such as vomitus are aspirated from the enclosed mask area. Moreover, because the state of the art oxygen delivery masks require close fit about and around the patient's face in order to prevent leakage and achieve the intended and desired oxygen concentrations, the positioning of the mask and maintaining that position on the patient is quite important. If the mask becomes loosened or significantly moved, the sealing engagement of the mask edge with the patient's face will be disturbed thereby allowing undesirable venting of exterior ambient air into the mask as well as loss of oxygen and concomitant oxygen concentration change delivered to the patient, which may not be monitored. It is to the elimination and obviation of these disadvantages of state of the art masks that the device of the present invention is directed.